Electric alarm



( No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l. G. H. SHAFPE'R. ELECTRIC ALARM.

Patented May/ 19, 1891.

{I asses;

'2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

r G. H. SHAPFER.

BLEGTRIG ALARM.

' Patented May 19,1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I CHARLES H. SHAFFER, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE ELECTRICALARM COMPANY, OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,735, dated May 19,1891. Application filed May 5, 1890. Serial No. 350,655- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern; magnet 17, which is held in position on theBe it known that I, CHARLES H. SHAFEER, base-board 1 by a bracket18,secured thereto. a citizen of the United States, residing at Fromthis bracket project arms 19, between Rockford, in the countyof,Winnebago and which is pivoted an arm 20, which carries an 55 Stateof Illinois, have invented certain new armature 21, so located as to beoperated and useful Improvements in Electric Alarms, upon by theelectro-magnet. This arm exof which the following is a specification.tends some distance beyond the electro-mag- This invention relates to analarm system net 17, and near its free end is located an operated uponwhat is known-as a closed electro-magnet 22, which isheld in place on tocircuit. the base-board 1 by a bracket 23, secured The object of thisinvention is to construct thereto. To this arm 20 near its free end is abox for giving alarm-signals, so that a single secured a rod 24, whichpasses between the battery will supply the energy for starting coils ofthe electro-magnet and has an armathe box and giving the signal. ture 25secured to its free end. To the 6 5 I 5 In the accompanying drawings,Figure l bracket 23 is pivoted a catch-lever 26, and on represents mysignal-box with its parts in the underside of the arm 20is securedablock their normal position. Fig. 2 represents the 27 of insulatingmaterial. various parts of the signal-box in the position In the abovedescriptionI have brieflystated they occupyimmediately after themovement the various parts composing the operating 20 of the box hasbeen released. Fig. 3 repremechanism of my improved box. Their consentsmy signal-box in the position its parts nections with each other andoperations will occupy after the signal has been given and now bedescribed. the movement of the box is at rest. Fig. 4 To one of thelower corners of the baserepresents a series of my boxes placed incirboard 1 of the box is secured a binding-post 2 5 cuit with a batteryand alarm-bell, showing 28, and to which is secured one of the wires thedifferent uses to which my box is capable. forming a portion of theelectric circuit in To the base-board 1 of the box is secured a whichthe box is included. From this post signal-box 2, of a well-knownconstruction in extends a wire 29, which has an electrical conso far asthe train of gearing and their supnection with the base of thesignal-box. From 30 ports are concerned. The break-wheel 3 is the post11 a wire 30 extends to one of the so mounted as to be rotated by theclockwork coils of the electro-magnet 22, and from the of the box. Tothe upper surface of the plate other coil of the electro-magnet a wire31 is 4 of the clock-work is secured a block 5 of inconnected to thebinding-post A wire sulating material, and from which projects aconnects binding-posts 34. and 35, and a wire 35 post 6, which has aconnection with a spring- 36 connects the post 13 with the wire 33. Onearm 7, which rests on the periphery of the coil of the electro-magnet17is connected with break-wheel 3 when the box is at rest. A the wire 33by the wire 37, and the other coil plate 8 is insulated and has aconnection with hasa connection with the wire 30 by a wire thesupporting-frameeof the clock-work and 38. From the binding-posts 32 and34 ex- 40 has its free end upturned. This plate has a tends thealarm-circuit, which in Figs. 1, 2,

connection with the post 6 by a wire 9, and a and 3 I have shown as aclosed-circuit thermowire 10 connects the post with the base-plate statof a pattern patented to me, and which of the signal-box, but insulatedtherefrom, as may be of any of the known constructions. at 11. At thefree end of the post6 is pivoted At Fig. 1 is shown my box with itsvari- 5 45 an arm 12, and near the free end of this arm ous parts intheir normal position, and the is located a post 13, which is secured tobut circuits through the box are as followsz-from insulated from thebase-plate of the box. To the post 28 by wire 29 to the signaibox, thecenter shaft 14 of the box is secured an through the break-wheel deviceto the post 6, 7 arm 15 and a handle 16, which revolve in or through thecam-arm 15 and arm 12 tothe 50 unison. To one side of the signal-box andpost 6, thence by wires 10 and 30 through the some distance above it islocated an electroelectro-magnet 22, thence by wire 31 to post 32,thence through the alarm-circuit, in which is included the thermostat,to post 3t, and by wire 33 to post 35, from which posts extend theoutside circuit-wires, which extend to a distant station, in which isincluded a battery and alarm device, and the circuit is completed bybeing connected to post 28. The electromagnet 17 is in a shunt-circuitby the wire 37, connected to wire 33, and wire 38, connected to the wire30. The electro-magnet 22 is constructed with less resistance than theelectromagnet 17. Therefore a greater portion of the current will travelthrough the electromagnet 22. It will be seen that I have a directcurrent through the electro-magnet 22 and a shunt-circuit through theelectro-magnet 17. The influence of the electro-magnet 22 is to hold thearm 20 downward by its influence upon its armature 25, while theinfluence of the electro-magnet 17 is to raise the arm 20 upward, and asthe electrounagnet 17 is of greater resistance than the electro-magnetit cannot overcome the force exerted by the electro-magnet 22. I haveapplied a spring device 30, having one end connected to a stationarysupport and its other end connected to an arm a0, depending from the arm20, by means of which the weight of the arm can be regulated to suit thestrength of the electromagnet 17.

It will be seen that when the system is in order, as shown at Fig. 1, anarm 41, which has a connection with the pallet of the escapement deviceof the clock-work, will engage the block 27 ,secured to the under sideof the arm 20, and so long as the arm 20 remains in such position theclock-work will be wound up, and when an abruption of thethermostat-circuit occurs-for instance, by the action of heat-will causethe electro-magnet 22 to release its influence upon the arm 20 andcompel the current of electricity to pass through the shuntelectro-magnet 17, thereby exerting its influence upon the armature 21,and consequently raising the arm 20, the free end of which will engagethe catch-lever 26 and be held elevated. This movement of the arm 20will release the arm 41 of the clock-work,which will allow the clockworkto rotate its various parts. Just after the clock-work has started thecam-arm 15 will have moved sufficiently to allow the free end of the arm12 to comein contact with the post 13, thereby forming a direct circuitthrough the box by way of wire 36 and substantially cutting out theresistance of electro-1nagnet 17, and the spring 4:14,- will insure agood contact between the arm and post, as shown at Fig.2,which alsoshows the thermostat-circuit open. As the clockwork revolves, thebreak-wheel 3 will also revolve, and the notches in the wheel will causea break in the main circuit every time the spring-arm 7 enters one,thereby causing a signal to be transmitted to a distant station, whichcorresponds to the number and location of the notches in the peripheryof the breakwheel. After the signal has been transmitted an arm 42,secured to the center shaft ll of the clock-work, will engage the plate8, thereby making a direct circuit through the box to the post 6. Therewill also be a circuit with the post 6 by way of the break-wheel 3 andspringarm 7 and from the post through the arm 12 and wire 36 to the post35 and onto the main line, as shown at Fig. 3.

In order to set the box in condition for use, the thermostat-circuitmust be closed by re pairing the break, the arm 41 of the clockwork ismoved to the left-hand side of the box, and the arm 20 released from itsengagement with the catch 26, when, so far as these parts are concerned,they will occupy the position shown at Fig. 1. By means of the handle 16the clock-work is wound up and the cam-arm 15 will raise and hold thearm 12 from its engagement with the post 13, thereby breaking the directcircuit through the box, and all the parts will occupy their former ornormal positions, as shown at Fig. 1. The circuit will then go throughthe box, elect-ro-magnet 22, thermostat-line to post- 35, and throughthe outside circuit, as before set forth, when the box will be readyforgiving another alarm.

At Fig. i I have shown a series of the boxes above described in a singlecircuit, and in which I have included a single battery 43 and alarm-bell4%. From the battery, which may be located at any point on the circuit,runs a wire 45 to an alarm-box 46, through the box andthermostat-circuit4C7 back to the box, and to the next box t8 by wire40, through this box and through a switch-line 50, in which are locatedany number of switches for breaking the circuit, back to the box and tothe next box 51 by wire 52, through this box and through a line 53, inwhich are located any number of closed-circuit push-buttons, back to thebox, and through bell it by wire 54 and to battery 43 by wire 55. Thuswe have a complete closed circuit,in which are included three of myimproved boxes and their alarmcircuits, a battery, and an alarm-bell.Upon the breaking of any one of the alarm-circuits the clock-work of thebox for that one alarmeircuit will be released and turn in its alarmwithout releasing any of the remaining boxes, and by referring to Figs.1, 2, and 3 it will be seen that when the alarm has been given thealarm-circuit for that box will be completely cutout,tl1erebygiving adirect circuit through the box. These boxes may be located outside ofthe building to be protected or in some place where fire will not likelyoccur, thereby giving ample protection to the remaini ngboxes in thecircuit. u

I am able by this system of boxes and upon a single circuit toautomatically turn in an alarm when the temperature of the buildingrises to a certain degree; to give an alarm should an entrance be forcedinto abuildingin other words, a burglar-alarm-and to call assistance bymeans of a closed-circuit pushbutton, and all that is necessary to givean alarm is to break the alarm-circuit of any one IIO of the boxes andthe arm 20 will be instantly acted upon, as before described. Even ifthe alarm-circuit should be instantly closed after giving the alarm, aswill-be the case in using closed-circuit push-buttons, it will be toolate, for when the box is once started it cannot be stopped until thesignal has been completed. Should the battery run down or the maincircuit outside of the boxes become broken, it will not start any one ofthe boxes, as the only thing that canstart them is a break in thealarm-circuit.

It is evident that in place of the alarm-bell 44 any of the knowndevices for receiving an alarm by the make and break of the circuit maybe employed without departing from the gist of my invention. It is notabsolutely necessary that a short circuit should be made through the boxby lever 12 and post 13, for if battery force enough be employed thecurrent can traverse the shunt electro-magnet 17 and accomplish the sameresult; and when closed-circuit push-buttons are employed, orswitch-levers which are closed upon giving the alarm, the current canhave its original circuit through the alarm-circuit, thereby doing awaywith the short circuit through the box; but I prefer to use the shortcircuit, as I am able to maintain a system of alarms on much lessbattery-power than would otherwise be required;

I am aware that the signal-box could be released by the samebattery-current that transmits the signal without an absolute break inthe alarm-circuit. This might be accomplished either by introducingsufficient resistance into the alarm-circuit, thereby compellingsufficient current to traverse the shunt electro-magnets, which wouldraise the arm 20 and release the box, or at each thermostat, switch, orpush-button is introduced a short circuit of great resistance, and whenthe main alarm-circuit is broken there would still be a current passingthrough the short circuit, which in effect would be the same asintroducing extra resistance in the line.

It is evident that any number of batteries can be employed on thecircuit, distributed at proper intervals, which Would be equal to asingle battery located at one point and would be the same in operation;and by single battery I do not mean a single cell, but one or more cellslocated in the same circuit.

I claim as my invention-- 1. In combination a closed circuit a portionof which is an alarm-circuit, a signal-box in the main portion of theclosed circuit, an electro-magnet in the alarm-circuit preventing thestarting of the box, and an electromagnet shunting the alarm-circuit,which starts the box when sufficiently energized by breaking orincreasing the resistance of the set forth.

2. In combination, a closed circuit a portion of which is analarm-circuit, a signal-box in the main portion of the closed circuit,an armature, an electro-magnet in the alarm-circuit exerting itsinfluence upon the armature to prevent the starting of the box, and anelectro-magnet shunting the alarm-circuit, being normally of greaterresistance than the electro-magnet in the alarm-circuit and starting thebox by actuating the armature when sufficiently energized by breaking orincreasing the resistance of the alarm-circuit, substantially as setforth.

3. In combination, a closed circuit a portion of which is analarm-circuit, a signal-box in the main portion of the closed circuit,an armature, an electro-magnet in the alarm-circuit having a directcontact with the armature, and an electro magnet shunting thealarm-circuit, being normally of greater resistance than thealarm-circuit and starting the box when the clectro-magnet in the alarmcircuit releases its hold upon the armature, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination, a closed circuit a portion of which is analarm-circuit, a signal-box in the main portion of the closed circuit,an electro-magnet in the alarm-circuit, an electro-1nagnet shunting thealarm-circuit, an armature common to both electro-magnets, saidelectro-lnagnets located at different distances from the pivot of thearmature, one of said electro-magnets exerting its influence upon thearmature to prevent the starting of the box and the other electro-magnetexerting its influence upon the armature to start the box, substantiallyas set forth.

5. In combination, a closed circuit a por tion of which is analarm-circuit, a signal-box in the main portion of the closed circuit,an electro-magnet shunting the alarm-circuit, an armature for theelectro-magnet when in its normal position preventing the starting ofthebox, and a pivoted catch which holds the armature when actuated bythe electro-magnet, substantially as set forth.

6. In combination, a closed circuit a portion of which is analarm-circuit, a signal-box in the main portion of the closed circuit,an electro-magnet shunting the alarm circuit and being of greaterresistance than the alarm-circuit, and an arm actuated by the box afterbeing started for cutting out the resist ance of the electro-magnet,substantially as set forth.

CHARLES H. SHAFFER.

Witnesses:

SAML. N. Joxns, A. O. BEHEL.

